Multiple redundant processor systems are implemented as fault-tolerant systems to prevent downtime, system outages, and to avoid data corruption. A multiple redundant processor system provides continuous application availability and maintains data integrity such as for stock exchange systems, credit and debit card systems, electronic funds transfers systems, travel reservation systems, and the like. In these systems, data processing computations can be performed on multiple, independent processing elements of a processor system.
Processors in a multiple redundant processor system can be loosely synchronized in a loose lock-step implementation such that processor instructions are executed at slightly different times. This loosely synchronized implementation provides that the processors can execute instructions faster than a typical tight lock-step configuration because the processors are not restricted to synchronized code execution. However, when an application requests a time of day response to time-annotate a banking or stock transaction, for example, the redundant processors all execute the same instruction set in response to the request, but may all return a different time of day response. The different time responses will appear as an error to the application that has requested the time of day.